MBBC Jr. International: Johannes Hagen, Marie Waland clear semi-final round of Mixed Doubles event
Norway’s Under-19 Mixed Doubles team Johannes Hagen-Marie Waland qualified for final round of MBBC Jr. International after trouncing Chad Naramore-Alice Liu on July 19, 2012.
This semi-final battle was played at Manhattan Beach in California, USA and both contenders entertained the local crowd with prime badminton skills.
They displayed commendable fighting spirit while piling up concluding result of 21-18 and 21-17 in two games.
The top seeded duo Johannes-Marie started hammering their competitors from the very first set and dictated to them all the way to final moments of the tussle.
In the opening game of match, they kick-started their campaign with couple of nonstop rallies and established a decent lead with 6-3 total.
They did not lose this tempo and widened the gap with 11-7 margin before one-minute break.
However, the Norwegian pair committed some unforced errors and dropped down immediately after half time.
Chad and Alice, who belong to USA and Chinese Taipei respectively, did not squander this opportunity and stepped forward at a steady pace.
They pocketed four points in row and reached at fighting position of 13-15. They chased the opposing team all the way to game point situation and did not allow them to make a notable difference.
On the other hand, Johannes-Marie made every effort to regain their lost form and the hard work paid off in the final stage of game. They dominated in three ending rallies and finished first set with 21-18 score on the board.
The second set, which proved a decider later, started with some gruelling efforts from both teams as they strived hard to establish a comfortable lead in the first half.
They remained toe-to-toe until 8-7 but then Chad-Alice blundered and went down in three uninterrupted rallies.
This took Johannes-Marie to a commanding position of 11-7 before mid-game break and they entered the second half with a psychological edge.
They did not fritter away their effort after interval and raised the lead with respectable figure of 15-11.
They maintained this four-point advantage until the final moments and swept the table with 21-17 margin.
Now they are scheduled to meet US Mixed Doubles team Shawn Whong-Rochelle Ng in the title match of the event.
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